2019 was a busy year for Nova Twins. The London duo supported the likes of Skunk Anansie, Prophets of Rage and Wolf Alice, appeared on multiple festival stages, and followed it all with a mini UK headline tour of their own. With a European tour kicking off this March to support the launch of debut Album ‘Who Are The Girls?’, it doesn’t look like they’ll be slowing down any time soon.
Album opener ‘Vortex’ wastes no time getting straight into powerful riffs and beats aplenty. There’s an industrial vibe to the repeating chorus, topped with a mixture of pedal effects that bassist Georgia South and guitarist / vocalist Amy Love have honed to create their own unique sound. ‘Play Fair’ displays further facets of this effect-heavy, distinctive style with distortion and a dirtier, almost goth club vibe.
Recent single ‘Taxi’ has been getting airplay on Kerrang! Radio, and is accompanied by a slick video showcasing the quintessential Nova style. With catchy repetition and empowering lyrics, the layers of sound from the vast array of pedals add depth to this well polished single. The production throughout the record is notably strong, giving a level of consistency to the varied musical styles merged together on each track.
The pace of this debut offering flows well between big hip-hop inspired beats and relentless metal breakdowns, with the frantic energy of tracks like ‘Devil’s Face’ blending seamlessly with the slower grooves of ‘Bullet’. Ramping up the pace again, the stand out ‘Lose Your Head’ bends notes all over the place into gritty basslines and punchy riffs. Complete with ferocious, vitriolic screams, ‘Lose Your Head’ is sure to create a few hectic pits at the live shows.
The only outlier on the album is the slower ‘Ivory Tower’. With clean vocals and a simple guitar melody, it carries an air of a spooky lullaby. Somehow it still works, despite being a clear departure from the tone of the rest of the record. Its simplicity allows it to sit neatly between the more intense numbers, giving everyone a gentle breather before ploughing headfirst into the screams and complex assortment of effects on penultimate track ‘Undertaker.’
Closing track ‘Athena’ cleverly plays with harmonies, tempo and key changes. It’s a great end to a high octane debut, displaying the duo’s musicality, innovation and talent.
Nova Twins are here to spread a message of empowerment, diversity and inclusivity. This release is out through Fever 333 front man Jason Aalon Butler’s 333 Wreckords collective for new artists, and although their material isn’t quite as politically charged as Butler’s output, it’s still clear that they’re in the same boat – keen to break down stereotypes and challenge the norm. Lyrically, there are messages of empowerment throughout ‘Who Are The Girls?’ and there’s a diversity of sound, bending and combining multiple genres to produce something fresh and promising.
ELLIE ODURNY